


The Thickness of Blood

by McKelly



Category: Vampire: The Masquerade, World of Darkness (Games)
Genre: Bisexual Male Character, Brother/Sister Incest, Closeted Character, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Heavy Angst, Homophobia, Physical Abuse, Teenage Rebellion, Underage Rape/Non-con
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-07
Updated: 2019-05-07
Packaged: 2020-02-28 05:04:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18749581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/McKelly/pseuds/McKelly
Summary: An exploration of what it could be like growing up in a branch of Clan Giovanni. Ares Salvatore is a teenager trying to figure himself out, but with the family image to maintain and an older sister gunning for the Embrace, he can't allow himself the luxury of doing so openly. Take place in Chicago during the 1970s.This is not a happy story, in case the content warnings and tags weren't clear enough on that, so read at your own risk.





	The Thickness of Blood

Ares let out the giant breath he’d been holding in and shut his bedroom door, leaning back against the cool wood as a bead of sweat slid down his forehead. He stood completely still, too scared to even turn on his light, and listened for anyone who may have saw him sneaking through his family’s home. It was hard to hear over the frantic beating of his heart. Ares could feel it all through his body, drumming loud at the audacity of what he’d just done. He clenched his hands tight into fists.

A few minutes passed and no one came knocking. Was he in the clear? Ares didn’t move for another few seconds just to be sure. His parents would kill him if they found out where he’d been. Ares had never snuck out before. He couldn’t believe he’d actually pulled it off. The fear in his chest turned to giddy pride. Ares flipped on his bedroom light and walked over to his bed. He flopped down onto it and started laughing. Quietly, of course. Ares didn’t want to risk waking anyone else in the house up.

Ares reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out a crumpled movie ticket: the 9 pm showing of Boys in the Sand at The Image Cinema. It would probably be safer to tear the ticket up and throw it out, but there was something thrilling about still holding onto it. It was proof that he’d bested his family, successfully defied them, without their knowing. It was proof that he could take care of himself while out on his own.

Best of all, it was proof that Ares wasn’t the freak his dad said he was. There were other guys out there who felt the way he did.

Scenes from the movie played in Ares’ head. He tried to imagine himself in the lead actor’s place. He wanted to know what it was like to kiss another boy, to make love the way the men in the movie did. He tried not to think about the fact that he never would in real life. Not growing up as a Salvatore. The images in his mind had to be enough. The validation that he wasn’t broken had to be enough.

Ares rolled onto his back and reached down to unzip his jeans. He was almost uncomfortably hard. The movie ticket fell from his grasp as he turned his attention to relieving the pressure he’d felt for the majority of the night.

Then he heard two knocks on his door.

Ares bolted to a sitting position and zipped his pants. He tried to tuck his cock into a position that wasn’t quite so obvious.

“Who… who is it?” Ares’ voice cracked when he spoke.

The door creaked open and, without introducing herself or asking permission to enter, Ares’ older sister walked into the room. Ares’s eyes went wide when he saw her. Athena was supposed to be in New York. What the hell was she doing back home?

“Are you just going to stare like a moron or are you going to say hello to me?” Athena’s silk-stockinged feet padded across the hardwood floor as she approached the bed. She was dressed in a black blazer and straight black skirt. The whole look was flawlessly put together, but that was Athena for you. Perfection in everything.

“I, um… Good evening, Athena!” Ares stood up to greet his sister. “When… when did you get home? I didn’t know you were coming back.”

“My plane arrived an hour ago.” Athena stopped in front of Ares and gave him a good, long, once over. Her unimpressed gaze dragged over him from top to bottom. “It was a last-minute decision, so I won’t hold the fact that you weren’t home to greet me against you.” She paused to roll her eyes at his groin, and all the blood in Ares’ body rushed to his cheeks in embarrassment. Apparently he hadn’t done a very good job of hiding his erection.

“Sorry.” Ares rubbed his left shoulder and stared at his feet. “What brings you back? I thought you were staying with Aunt Bella until next month.”

“I had news I wanted to share in person.” Athena brushed past Ares and sat down on the edge of the bed. She crossed her legs and patted the space next to her. Ares sat down a few inches away.

“News?”

Athena smirked and help up the hand she’d motioned for him to sit with. An intricately cut diamond ring glistened against her olive skin. Ares looked at the ring, then Athena’s face, and then the ring, and then Athena, repeating the pattern several times as the implications sunk in.

“You’re… you’re getting married?”

“I impressed Auntie so much she put in a good word for me with the main family. They made me an offer. Of course I’d say yes” Athena’s smirk shifted to a wide grin. “The Salvatore are moving up in the ranks, Mars. Father’s already got our family birthright. I plan on getting it in the next couple years. And if we play our cards right, I could even get it for you too.” Athena practically purred her last few words.

“You think so?” Ares stomach knotted up. Athena only acted familiar like this when she wanted something. She only used her nickname for him when she wanted something big. But what could she possibly need him for? He was useless. He could see ghosts and sense death better than most mortals, but those weren’t talents Athena needed. She needed social clout. She needed image. Ares couldn’t give her that.

“Of course!” Athena laughed. Ares flinched. “But you’ll have to stop sneaking out first. I covered for you this time - Father doesn’t even know you left - but if our family’s going anywhere, the rest of the Giovanni need to know we’re trustworthy.”

And there it was. Ares sighed.

“It won’t happen again, Athena. I promise I won’t embarrass you.”

“You’d better not. I don’t want anyone to think badly of my sweet baby brother.” Athena leaned over and pinched Ares’ cheek. As she turned her head, though, she noticed something on the floor. Ares moved his eyes to where she was looking. His heart damn near stopped when he saw what it was.

The movie ticket.

Athena’s expression turned neutral as she bent over and picked up the crumpled piece of paper. Ares couldn’t move. He could barely even breath. Everything was over. Athena was going to see where he was and she was going to tell their dad and then… then what? Would the family disown him? Punish him? Ares’ mind entered a downward spiral of outcomes, each progressively more horrifying than the next.  
  
After what seemed like an eternity, Athena placed the ticket on the bedside table. She stood up and crossed her arms. The look she gave Ares was completely blank. She didn’t look upset, but then who knew what was going on in that calculating brain of hers?

“You know, I always thought Father was being unfair when he called you a fag. I always thought he just didn’t understand the fact that you’re shy. But I guess I was wrong. You really are a dirty queer, aren’t you?”

Ares gripped the edge of his mattress like a vice as his sister spoke. Athena leaned over and placed a single finger underneath his chin, lifting his face so she could stare him in the eyes.

“It’s… it’s not like that!” Ares clenched his teeth. He refused to meet his sister’s gaze.

“What is it like then, Mars? Hm? What other explanation could there possibly be?”

Ares couldn’t answer her. There was no other explanation.

“Please don’t tell anyone, Athena!” Ares whipped his head away. He closed his eyes tight to hold back the tears that were starting to well up. “Dad’ll kill me. Please!”

“Tell anyone? God, you really are a moron.” Athena threw her arms up in the air and turned away. “Anyone else who knows makes it that much easier for the family heads to find out. I will not let  _your_  freak attractions ruin  _my_  shot at power. No, baby brother, this stays between us.”

Ares wanted to feel relieved, but he couldn’t. Athena was still thinking. He could see it in the way her shoulders tensed, and how her head was bent slightly forward. Ares took in several deep breaths to try and calm himself down. He couldn’t. His head was pounding, his heart racing. He wanted to stand up and shove Athena out of his room. But she was the golden child, their dad’s favorite. All it would take was one word from her and Ares was done for.

"You can’t be a total fag, though…” Athena dragged the syllables out as she formed her thoughts. “Weren’t you pining over one of the girls in your grade last summer? Penny Something-or-other.”

“Her name’s Donna.”

“Whatever. The point is, you can get it up for the right people if you want.”

Ares wasn’t sure he could blush any harder. It felt like his cheeks were on fire. “It’s not that I don’t like girls.” He just liked guys better.

“Good!” Athena clapped her hands and turned back to face him. She sounded genuinely pleased with his answer. “That’s a start! I’m sure all you need a nudge in the right direction and you’ll forget all about the little… phase. Because it is just a phase, isn’t it Ares?”

“Yeah. It’s… it’s just a phase.” Ares couldn’t believe what he was saying. It wasn’t a phase. He’d known what he was long enough to be certain of that. He didn’t want to lie like this. It made him feel sick. He looked up just long enough to see her smile widen.

“And aren’t you lucky to have such a loving, forgiving big sister to help you through it!” Athena plopped down on the bed next to him again. She grabbed his arm and pulled it out just far enough to lace her own around it. Ares knew better than to pull away. Athena had hit him before when he shyed away from her ‘affection.’ Never hard enough to bruise, but just enough to remind him who was in charge. So Ares sat there, still as a statue, and gave his sister the control she felt so entitled to. “I’m getting married soon, so I won’t be around as often to make sure you stay in line, but don’t worry. I’ll do everything I can to stamp those dirty thoughts out of your head. Aren’t you happy?”

“Thrilled.”

“Say it like you mean it.” Athena jabbed her elbow into Ares’ ribs.

“Yes, yes! I’m happy you want to help!” Ares turned to his sister and forced a smile. Why wouldn’t she just leave?

“That’s the spirit. Now why don’t you prove it by giving your favorite sister a kiss?”

Ares leaned forward and pecked Athena on the cheek. He was careful not to disturb her meticulously applied makeup. When he pulled back, though, Athena was frowning.

“Not like that, moron. We’re supposed to be fixing you.”

Realization hit Ares like a tractor trailer. When Athena said 'help,’ she meant… Oh God. Ares couldn’t bring himself to finish the thought. He actually felt like vomiting. Ares tried to pull his arm back. Athena held on tight, though, and Ares couldn’t bring himself to pull hard enough to actually risk hurting her. She reached up to his chin with her other hand a grabbed it, forcing him to look at her.

“Kiss me, Ares. Or do I need to change my mind about telling Father where you were tonight?”

Ares swallowed the growing lump in his throat. “Don’t make me do this, Athena. Please. I promise I won’t embarrass you. Please. I don’t want to do this.”

“Kiss. Me.”

Ares closed his eyes and leaned forward and placed his lips on his sister’s. He’d never kissed anyone before. He always hoped his first one would be with a person he cared about. He’d spent plenty of time fantasizing about kissing Donna while he was crushing on her. He wanted it to feel special. He wanted to feel loved. This just made him feel disgusting.  
  
Athena smirked against the kiss and pushed forward, running her tongue along Ares lips with a little giggle. She wrapped both arms around him and fell back against the bed. Ares couldn’t help but tumble over her. He kissed her again, this time the way he’d seen the men in the movie kiss. That was what Athena wanted, right? Why? Why would she make him do this?  
  
After a minute or so Athena pulled away and leaned up to whisper in his ear “That’s better.” She pressed her chest against his and wedged her knee between his legs. “Don’t you worry, Ares. By the time I’m done here you won’t need to think about stupid boys or high school hussies ever again.”

Ares didn’t bother responding. He did what he was told, exactly how he was told. By the time Athena was done with him Ares was curled up in a naked ball on his bed while she cleaned herself up and got dressed. The entire act had passed in a blur. The entire world was a blur. Ares head was swimming. Athena must have said something before she left - he definitely heard her voice - but he couldn’t remember what it was. He wasn’t sure he wanted to remember what it was.  
  
At the very least, he told himself, his secret was still safe.


End file.
